Testing Democracy in the Donald Trump Era
1st Edition
Will be published approx. on 9. October 2026
Book
Hardback
292 pages
978-1-041-31908-5 (ISBN)
Description
This volume examines the state of American democracy during the "Donald Trump Era," spanning 2015 to 2025.
From Trump's first campaign to his return to the White House, this decade has shaken America's political foundations. Edited by leading scholars, the volume brings together contributors from political science, law, sociology, media studies, and history to place these upheavals in sharp historical perspective. Together, they draw bold comparisons to past democratic crises such as the Civil War, Watergate, and the New Deal, while offering fresh interdisciplinary insights into polarization, populism, and democratic resilience. Case studies address presidential powers, the judiciary, elections, and the role of media and misinformation, offering a clear framework for assessing whether these shifts reflect routine democratic contestation or deeper signs of backsliding.
Testing Democracy in the Donald Trump Era offers scholars a comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of a pivotal phase in U.S. politics, while giving students clear, accessible explanations of complex issues. It serves as a valuable resource for courses on government, democracy, and political change, with its timely focus on Trump's second presidency, historical comparisons, and engagement with debates on democratic resilience.
From Trump's first campaign to his return to the White House, this decade has shaken America's political foundations. Edited by leading scholars, the volume brings together contributors from political science, law, sociology, media studies, and history to place these upheavals in sharp historical perspective. Together, they draw bold comparisons to past democratic crises such as the Civil War, Watergate, and the New Deal, while offering fresh interdisciplinary insights into polarization, populism, and democratic resilience. Case studies address presidential powers, the judiciary, elections, and the role of media and misinformation, offering a clear framework for assessing whether these shifts reflect routine democratic contestation or deeper signs of backsliding.
Testing Democracy in the Donald Trump Era offers scholars a comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of a pivotal phase in U.S. politics, while giving students clear, accessible explanations of complex issues. It serves as a valuable resource for courses on government, democracy, and political change, with its timely focus on Trump's second presidency, historical comparisons, and engagement with debates on democratic resilience.
Reviews / Votes
"This book provides a unique perspective on democracy in the United States during the Trump era. Just as Alexis de Tocqueville, a French social scientist, was able to capture the essence of American democracy during the populist era of Andrew Jackson, so too do these scholars, based in Europe, diagnose and prognosticate on the health of American democracy under another populist president."Dr. Richard Johnson, Senior Lecturer in US Politics and Policy, Queen Mary, University of London
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Postgraduate and Undergraduate Advanced
Illustrations
3 s/w Zeichnungen, 2 s/w Tabellen, 3 s/w Abbildungen
2 Tables, black and white; 3 Line drawings, black and white; 3 Illustrations, black and white
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-041-31908-5 (9781041319085)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Pawel Laidler | Jared Sonnicksen | Maciej Turek
Testing Democracy in the Donald Trump Era
E-Book
approx. 10/2026
Routledge
€60.49
Not yet available
Pawel Laidler | Jared Sonnicksen | Maciej Turek
Testing Democracy in the Donald Trump Era
E-Book
approx. 10/2026
Routledge
€60.49
Not yet available
Persons
Pawel Laidler is Professor of political science at the Institute of American Studies and Polish Diaspora at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. His research focuses on U.S. constitutionalism, with a special focus on politicization of justice, judicialization of politics and constitutionalization of justice.
Jared Sonnicksen is Professor of political systems, at the Institute of Political Science, RWTH Aachen University, Germany. His research interests include comparative government, federalism and multilevel governance, with a cross-cutting interest in democratic theory and challenges of democratic governance under complex conditions.
Maciej Turek is an assistant professor at the Institute of American Studies in Polish Diaspora of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. His academic interests lie in American politics, including U.S. political institutions, elections, campaign finance system, and the state of contemporary U.S. democracy.
Jared Sonnicksen is Professor of political systems, at the Institute of Political Science, RWTH Aachen University, Germany. His research interests include comparative government, federalism and multilevel governance, with a cross-cutting interest in democratic theory and challenges of democratic governance under complex conditions.
Maciej Turek is an assistant professor at the Institute of American Studies in Polish Diaspora of the Jagiellonian University in Krakow. His academic interests lie in American politics, including U.S. political institutions, elections, campaign finance system, and the state of contemporary U.S. democracy.
Content
Introduction 1. Exploring the Donald Trump Era and the Testing of Democracy Part I. Ideological Change and Continuity in the Donald Trump Era 2. Trump's Conservatism: Fusing Traditional Conservatism, Reactionary Racism, and Populist Nationalism 3. The U.S. Constitution According to Donald Trump 4. Postliberalism and the Specter of Theocracy in Trump's Second Administration Part II. Testing Democracy in Policies and Politics 5. Violence as a Tool of Effective Politics 6. Take the Money, Run: Trump-Politician as a Business Project 7. The Politics of Surveillance in the Donald Trump Era 8. Voting Laws as a Political Capital in the Donald Trump Era 9. The Supreme Court and Women's Rights: Examining the Legacy of Trump's Judicial Appointments 10. Socialmediatization of Politics: How Social Media Are Leading Us Towards a Fanocracy 11. Wedge Lies, Truth and the Corrosion of American Democracy 12. Trump's Foreign Policy: Mixing State and Personal Interests 13. Impunity by Design: The Trump Court and the Collapse of Constitutional Authority Conclusion 14. Maintaining Democracy. Lessons from the Testing of Democracy 15. Conclusion and Outlook